Comments on: Embrace the constructive uses of cell phones in the classroom for learning http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/ Sat, 22 Nov 2008 17:20:11 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33756 Wesley Fryer Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:21:09 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33756 What is the research that backs up these claims and recommendations? I know there are investigations into these issues but I haven't read or seen those studies. Before getting people alarmed saying things like "doctors say kids shouldn't make any cell phone calls," "never carry a cell phone in your pocket or males might become infertile" and "never play a game on a cell phone" I think we ought to see the research on this. If you know of this research, please share some links here. This IS an important issue, but I think we need to be savvy about examining the sources of recommendations. Saying "doctors recommend you do this" is not enough, in my view, to establish credibility and validity for the information being shared on your website. I'd like to see and read the actual studies, as well as summaries by experts who are able to synthesize other medical research being done in the field on these issues. What is the research that backs up these claims and recommendations? I know there are investigations into these issues but I haven’t read or seen those studies. Before getting people alarmed saying things like “doctors say kids shouldn’t make any cell phone calls,” “never carry a cell phone in your pocket or males might become infertile” and “never play a game on a cell phone” I think we ought to see the research on this. If you know of this research, please share some links here. This IS an important issue, but I think we need to be savvy about examining the sources of recommendations. Saying “doctors recommend you do this” is not enough, in my view, to establish credibility and validity for the information being shared on your website. I’d like to see and read the actual studies, as well as summaries by experts who are able to synthesize other medical research being done in the field on these issues.

]]> By: Lucky http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33755 Lucky Mon, 16 Apr 2007 16:01:14 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33755 Great, this is an attractive news to one & all. People who are interested to know more about what medical physicians around the world are saying about the effects of cell phones and electromagnetic frequencies.For more information http://www.harmonicplanet.com <a href="www.harmonicplanet.com" rel="nofollow"> </a> Great, this is an attractive news to one & all. People who are interested to know more about what medical physicians around the world are saying about the effects of cell phones and electromagnetic frequencies.For more information http://www.harmonicplanet.com

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33722 Wesley Fryer Thu, 12 Apr 2007 02:31:13 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33722 Meg: I know you were kidding about "cheating" during the workshop-- that's usually how we think of using technology tools in traditional contexts, so that's what I wanted to point out. You are spot on in terms of leadership. Great idea about applying to present at NSBA... I'll check dates and consider submitting a proposal! :-) Meg: I know you were kidding about “cheating” during the workshop– that’s usually how we think of using technology tools in traditional contexts, so that’s what I wanted to point out. You are spot on in terms of leadership. Great idea about applying to present at NSBA… I’ll check dates and consider submitting a proposal! :-)

]]> By: Meg Ormiston http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33721 Meg Ormiston Wed, 11 Apr 2007 18:11:07 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33721 In your post Wes you commented about the recent tornado in your area and the reference to the cell lines jamming. After 9/11 I was in NY doing a keynote and I referenced the power of digital tools including cell phones. After my session a woman approached me and shared her personal experience of trying to contact her loved ones with the jammed lines, and text messaging was the way they found out everyone was all right. She asked me to share this information during my sessions, to hopefully help someone in the future. I wasn’t using text messaging at the time, but when I got to the airport, I immediately learned how to text. I did some Googling and found an article to support this. The article was in the Wall Street Journal, but I am having trouble finding additional sources to back-up the information. On another note, for all of us that travel, luckily the cell phone ban was not turned over! If this is true, we need to look at each and every school crisis plan and make sure that there is a chain of communication in place that includes text messaging. Again, back to school leadership! Jammed cell lines article http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112077406111780071-h53OpBx5tN92js2XzLVusfCU43w_20060708.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top cell phone ban http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/03/tech/main2644952.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_2644952 In your post Wes you commented about the recent tornado in your area and the reference to the cell lines jamming. After 9/11 I was in NY doing a keynote and I referenced the power of digital tools including cell phones. After my session a woman approached me and shared her personal experience of trying to contact her loved ones with the jammed lines, and text messaging was the way they found out everyone was all right. She asked me to share this information during my sessions, to hopefully help someone in the future. I wasn’t using text messaging at the time, but when I got to the airport, I immediately learned how to text.

I did some Googling and found an article to support this. The article was in the Wall Street Journal, but I am having trouble finding additional sources to back-up the information. On another note, for all of us that travel, luckily the cell phone ban was not turned over!

If this is true, we need to look at each and every school crisis plan and make sure that there is a chain of communication in place that includes text messaging. Again, back to school leadership!

Jammed cell lines article
http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB112077406111780071-h53OpBx5tN92js2XzLVusfCU43w_20060708.html?mod=tff_main_tff_top

cell phone ban
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/04/03/tech/main2644952.shtml?source=RSSattr=HOME_2644952

]]> By: Meg Ormiston http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33720 Meg Ormiston Wed, 11 Apr 2007 17:40:54 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33720 Great conversation to follow, sorry I am a little behind in my reading. I was surprised to see my name in there Wes, but what a great example, and I really was teasing when I accused you of cheating. I actually was trying to illustrate the "lazy teacher" approach to collecting and remembering factoids of information and regurgitating it for the chapter test. If I was in the audience I would have done exactly what you did, access the digital tools available to me! This example illustrates exactly what we do to kids, reminds me of the old math debate about calculators. I have to echo the comments about the cell phones, the powerful tool that potentially could dramatically impact both teaching and learning. The tool we lock away during the school day so we can bore them all by talking faster and louder as the high stakes tests get closer. Most teachers are not the “Guide by the side”, instead they are the shadow next to the overhead, the one that sounds more like Charlie Brown’s teacher! I know it sounds harsh, but I agree with you Wes, really teaching for engagement takes extensive planning and amazing energy. Flipping overheads does not translate into engaged students, or increased test scores. On the flip side, to move forward with this debate we need to reach the school leadership. As I write this I have exactly (131:36:53) (hours:minutes:seconds) left in my sentence, oops term, on my local School Board. As clocked on my countdown calendar on my Google Pages I created. Not that I am excited or anything, my life will again be mine! Back to leadership, we need to help the School Boards see the power of cell phones, the 1:1 potential, and the power of immediate information in the hands of kids. As budgets shrink, we have a powerful set of digital tools locked up in lockers, to keep the focus on the overheads. As I rant on, Wes craft that workshop and submit it to the National School Board Association conference and everyone of the state affiliate conferences. I have attended a lot of them in my 5.5 year sentence, I am not sure if they are ready for this message and the controversy it could stir up! Great conversation to follow, sorry I am a little behind in my reading. I was surprised to see my name in there Wes, but what a great example, and I really was teasing when I accused you of cheating. I actually was trying to illustrate the “lazy teacher” approach to collecting and remembering factoids of information and regurgitating it for the chapter test. If I was in the audience I would have done exactly what you did, access the digital tools available to me! This example illustrates exactly what we do to kids, reminds me of the old math debate about calculators.

I have to echo the comments about the cell phones, the powerful tool that potentially could dramatically impact both teaching and learning. The tool we lock away during the school day so we can bore them all by talking faster and louder as the high stakes tests get closer.

Most teachers are not the “Guide by the side”, instead they are the shadow next to the overhead, the one that sounds more like Charlie Brown’s teacher! I know it sounds harsh, but I agree with you Wes, really teaching for engagement takes extensive planning and amazing energy. Flipping overheads does not translate into engaged students, or increased test scores.

On the flip side, to move forward with this debate we need to reach the school leadership. As I write this I have exactly (131:36:53) (hours:minutes:seconds) left in my sentence, oops term, on my local School Board. As clocked on my countdown calendar on my Google Pages I created. Not that I am excited or anything, my life will again be mine!

Back to leadership, we need to help the School Boards see the power of cell phones, the 1:1 potential, and the power of immediate information in the hands of kids. As budgets shrink, we have a powerful set of digital tools locked up in lockers, to keep the focus on the overheads.

As I rant on, Wes craft that workshop and submit it to the National School Board Association conference and everyone of the state affiliate conferences. I have attended a lot of them in my 5.5 year sentence, I am not sure if they are ready for this message and the controversy it could stir up!

]]> By: J.D. Williams http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33672 J.D. Williams Tue, 10 Apr 2007 18:13:20 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33672 I have been trying to find a way to do some sort of a "conference" for my students on using cell phones effectively in school. I send text messages to google all the time to find definitions, sports scores, weather, etc. There is even a Google Maps for cell phones and Palms (http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html). This is one of those things I don't even see my principal signing off on though. If/when you do end up giving this presentation, please make sure you get a podcast of it. Thanks. I have been trying to find a way to do some sort of a “conference” for my students on using cell phones effectively in school. I send text messages to google all the time to find definitions, sports scores, weather, etc. There is even a Google Maps for cell phones and Palms (http://www.google.com/gmm/index.html). This is one of those things I don’t even see my principal signing off on though. If/when you do end up giving this presentation, please make sure you get a podcast of it. Thanks.

]]> By: sylvia martinez http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33671 sylvia martinez Tue, 10 Apr 2007 17:19:13 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33671 This is great, Wes - not only is the cell phone a useful tool, putting power in the student's hands is a literal reinforcement of student-centered technolgy use. On the laptop issue, cell phones are equivalent to laptops only if the use is simply as an information appliance. The computing power of a laptop is not present in phones. I'd like to see more examples of laptop use that really does take advantage of the computing power! This is great, Wes - not only is the cell phone a useful tool, putting power in the student’s hands is a literal reinforcement of student-centered technolgy use.

On the laptop issue, cell phones are equivalent to laptops only if the use is simply as an information appliance. The computing power of a laptop is not present in phones.

I’d like to see more examples of laptop use that really does take advantage of the computing power!

]]> By: Pam Lowe http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33670 Pam Lowe Tue, 10 Apr 2007 17:15:28 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33670 How about a title something like: Cell Phone and Web Browser MultiMedia Production: Can You Hear Me Now? or Cell Phones for Learning: The 411. Have you seen Citizendium @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizendium ? It's supposed to function in a similar way to Wikipedia, but does not allow anonymous editing. How about a title something like:
Cell Phone and Web Browser MultiMedia Production: Can You Hear Me Now?

or

Cell Phones for Learning: The 411.

Have you seen Citizendium @ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Citizendium ?

It’s supposed to function in a similar way to Wikipedia, but does not allow anonymous editing.

]]> By: Wesley Fryer http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33669 Wesley Fryer Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:38:57 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33669 Thanks Lyn! Glad to know of this video. I'm making this connection too, 1:1 learning with laptops is powerful, but there are extremely powerful learning activities we can be doing NOW with cell phones. I'm going to be carrying and further developing this message in the months ahead here in Oklahoma! How cool you are in New Zealand and are collaborating with me on this conversation thread in real time. Wow. Thanks Lyn! Glad to know of this video. I’m making this connection too, 1:1 learning with laptops is powerful, but there are extremely powerful learning activities we can be doing NOW with cell phones. I’m going to be carrying and further developing this message in the months ahead here in Oklahoma! How cool you are in New Zealand and are collaborating with me on this conversation thread in real time. Wow.

]]> By: Rambling Reflections http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33668 Rambling Reflections Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:30:22 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33668 <strong>Pay Attention...</strong> While catching up on my RSS feeds I came across this from Paul Wilkinson. He began by introducing this video with this Maybe we should change the one laptop per child project to the one cell phone per child? Might get there faster! But then added, Act... Pay Attention…

While catching up on my RSS feeds I came across this from Paul Wilkinson. He began by introducing this video with this
Maybe we should change the one laptop per child project to the one cell phone per child? Might get there faster!

But then added,
Act…

]]> By: Stephanie L. http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33666 Stephanie L. Tue, 10 Apr 2007 16:02:43 +0000 http://www.speedofcreativity.org/2007/04/10/embrace-the-constructive-uses-of-cell-phones-in-the-classroom-for-learning/#comment-33666 I think Wikipedia is a great tool for collaborative learning with students. Technology is becoming an important aspect of a student's learning process and Wikipedia and/or MySpace are great initiatives for students to share their ideas and questions with their fellow classmates. In a textbook written by Bryn Holmes & John Gardner, they introduce the idea of communal constructivism: "Communal constructivism is a process in which indiviudals not only learn socially but contribute their learning to the creation of a communal knowledge base for other learners" (p.76). Wikipedia promotes communal constructivism... as people can post their own ideas and share with the online wikipedia community. When students collaborate to achieve one common goal, motivation is increased and a sense of achievement is established. TEXTBOOK REFERENCE: Holmes, B. & Gardner, J. (2006). e-learning: Concepts and Practice. London: Sage Publications. http://www.sagepub.co.uk/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book227967 http://www.brynholmes.com/ I think Wikipedia is a great tool for collaborative learning with students. Technology is becoming an important aspect of a student’s learning process and Wikipedia and/or MySpace are great initiatives for students to share their ideas and questions with their fellow classmates. In a textbook written by Bryn Holmes & John Gardner, they introduce the idea of communal constructivism: “Communal constructivism is a process in which indiviudals not only learn socially but contribute their learning to the creation of a communal knowledge base for other learners” (p.76).
Wikipedia promotes communal constructivism… as people can post their own ideas and share with the online wikipedia community. When students collaborate to achieve one common goal, motivation is increased and a sense of achievement is established.
TEXTBOOK REFERENCE:
Holmes, B. & Gardner, J. (2006). e-learning: Concepts and Practice. London: Sage Publications.
http://www.sagepub.co.uk/booksProdDesc.nav?prodId=Book227967 http://www.brynholmes.com/

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